Who's going to Save Me?
by winter's darkmoon
Summary: Sakura never told anyone of her life at home. Team 7 and everyone else had assumed that she had a great life with her family. But something has told Sakura's secrete to those who she never wanted to know of it. Set during the Chuunin preliminary.SakuSasu?
1. Chapter 1

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**Summary:** Sakura never told her team of her family nor of anything that related to her home life. They all assumed it was great. Boy, were they in for a shock. Now something has told the truth and things have changed. Changed for the better or the worse has yet to be seen.

**Disclaimer:** Don't own Naruto or anything related to any anime creatures that I've borrowed.

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Chapter 1

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The match Choji and the sound nin had just ended. Now only Team 7, Ino, Shikamaru, Kiba, and a few others were left.

At that point, Naruto was riled up and ready to fight.

"I'm going up next and going to win. Just you wait and see Teme!"

"Hn. Dobe."

"Teme!"

Sakura just laughed at her teammates antics. Underneath the mask, Kakashi smiled. That was until he looked at the screen. The screen that had the names of the next combatants.

"I wouldn't be laughing right now, Sakura. Look at the screen," Kakashi gravely said.

Lo and behold, the screen announced the next fight: Haruno Sakura vs. Yamanaka Ino.

Ino's team, knowing their rivalry groaned and flinched at the coming battle. They wondered what in the world possessed the screen to match up those two.

Team 7 was pretty much oblivious to the rivalry of the two. Well, may be Naruto. Kakashi could probably guess and Sasuke would know since their rivalry was centered around him. Or knowing him, he didn't care.

The two rivals looked at each other and quickly got to the field . The match was on.

The two really fought it out.

Sakura managed the first hit with a powerful (for her that is) upper cut, then a kick to Ino's midsection. With the force of that kick, it sent Ino flying to the wall.

Ino wasn't going to let that stop her, so she quickly got out a few kunai and shuriken. They didn't really do much as Sakura dodged them all.

Of course, the two traded insults, but that was normal really.

"You're not going to win this Forehead girl. I'll win Sasuke's acknowledgement."

Sakura was just silent. There was no response at all to Ino's bait. That had Ino's hackles up.

The battle went well, however, there was no sign of who was winning. It had just went back and forth between the two of them.

Around the screen unbeknownst to all, something red and full of malicious intent oozed out.

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"Didn't you hear me? I'm not going to lose."

Sakura finally responses with, "Righ-"

Right then and there, Sakura was cut off. The reason because a tendril of red wrapped around her. That tendril was connected to a huge mass of red that suddenly appeared.

"Sakura-chan! Don't worry we'll save you!" Naruto cried out in horror.

" Oh, beautiful cheery blossom, don't not fear. For I, the youthful Lee, shall rescue you from the evil clutches of whatever that is," Lee cried out is his, uh, youthful manner.

"Lee! Do your best in saving the cherry blossom!" Gai also said in his, erm, youthful voice.

"Gai-sensei!"

"Lee!"

"Gai-Sensei!"

Everyone sweatdroppped at the two's antics. Tenten and Neji still couldn't believe that these two were on their team and tried to pretend that the two currently youthful *cough* men didn't exist.

"Oi! Aren't you guys going to try to help Sakura?!" a rather pissed off Ino snarled at the stands, "You just said that you'd rescue her! If you are then go do it! Sakura, can you hear? You okay? SAKURA!"

Unfortunately, Sakura was knocked out by the mass.

"What are you?" the Hokage asked. He was worried for the pinkette. The mass just radiated pure malicious intent. There was also pain, but not as much.

"Pain, sadness, regret, guilt. Destiny," a voice rasped out.

"What is this that you are talking about?"

"You asked what we are. Pain, sorrow, guilt, sadness. Destiny."

"Who are you then?"

"Reaper."

Somehow with that one word, the tension increased. People couldn't help but think that this might be the _shinigami_, death god. Also, known as the soul reaper.

"Let go of Haruno Sakura."

"No! She 's ours. So much pain, sorrow, guilt, hatred. A future that could have been had. Dreams shattered. Wills crushed. Ours. She'll be our warrior. A fallen angel. A plague on humanity."

"Nani?! Sakura-chan wouldn't do that! She's too gentle a 'plague on humanity' as you say it. There's no way that Sakura-chan would have shattered dreams!" Naruto cried out.

"For once, I actually agree with the Dobe."

"Ursai, Teme! You're not helping!"

"Neither are you, Dobe."

Kakashi seeing that Naruto was going to open his mouth again decides to break you their fight.

"Okay you two, argue later, get back Sakura now."

While those two were arguing, Reaper had replied saying, "Never" and with that, drew Sakura closer to the mass and swallowed her up. The very moment Sakura was completely swallowed up, the malicious intent was even greater than that of Orochimaru.

"Hahahahaha! Such pain, hatred, and guilt. A great wellspring of power indeed."

"Give back Sakura!" Ino cried out desperately. She did not want to remember how Sakura was just swallowed up. What was even worse that she could still see Sakura, even if it was just her silhouette, the red around her pulsing.

"In a rather twisted sense, I _**am**_ Sakura. I can see and feel things in the way she would. I can remember things that have happened. Ah yes, in fact, you two were in the mist of battle weren't you? Before I came in, yes? Well, we can't stop now can we? And since I've already established the fact that I am Sakura, I'll just take her place. Go and attack!"

Suddenly creatures resembling nothing that the shinobis had ever seen before appeared. It was colored yellow and purple mainly, with orange on the tips and ends. The body was in a yellow spiral that created a hollow opening. The body and head was purple, its hands yellow with orange tips. The wings looked like a bat's, but blunter. No eyes or mouth could be seen. There was also a red tendril connecting it to the mass. (If you don't get the description, look up D-Reaper's creatures and look for something that vaguely matches the details)

To make matters worse that it already was, there were a lot of them. To add to that, they were smart. And Io was getting pissed off and scared.

"Ack! What the hell are these?!" Ino cried out for the umpteenth time when one of them cut her or when they massed up together.

"Now then, what kinds of memories can we drudge up to power up these weaklings?"

Everyone sweatdropped at the statement. This was weak? Those creature looked like they could take out an entire or ten squadron of ANBU and still have enough power to take out the village.

"Aha, why not the memories of you childhood," Reaper sinisterly cackled at the memories," Shall we start then, hmm?"

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This is my first fanfic, so please tell me if I need to make changes or if I should just dump this entire thing and not write for the next century or two.

So, should I continue or not? Criticism is welcome, just no flames please. =)

--Winter's


	2. real chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything anime related except for the plot line

**Warning:** At some point in the story for will encounter another warning. This is because it may be scary for some of you. If you can't handle it, skip to the end where it says 'Warning Over'

I deeply and sincerely apologize for posting up the wrong chapter.

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Chapter 2

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"Why don't we start with all those merciless teasing? They teased everything about you. Made you feel smaller, more pathetic. Ino saved you from that, but you know what? She should've saved you from your real nightmare. She should've been the first to have saved you from the darkness. The abyss of true hatred and pain!" Reaper's voice gradually went louder and louder in a condemning voice.

"Oi, what the hell are you saying?" Ino was beyond exhausted. The creatures and everything that the Reaper was saying were getting to her. It didn't really help she thought the creatures themselves were getting stronger.

And Ino had to jinx it. They were getting stronger. With every memory, every painful and degrading memory, the creatures got stronger _and_ smarter.

"Your true nightmare of you family!" Reaper continued on as if she didn't hear Ino, " And they say you don't a sob story. Hah! It could've rivaled the poor Uchiha Sasuke's story."

The mocking tone in the Reaper's voice really got to Sasuke's limitless ego. Sasuke's ego couldn't help but wonder what Reaper meant by "a sob story that could've rivaled the poor Uchiha Sasuke's story."

"Ne, ne, Kaka-sensei, I don't understand. What the hell is that thing saying?" Naruto (who else?-.-) asked.

"I'm not so sure myself," Kakashi was rather worried. Sakura's history was rather thin, even though _**both**_ her parents were ANBU. Kakashi had a nagging feeling that this lack of history was going to come back and bit them in the butt. Painfully.

To Kakashi's utter horror, he was right. The truth of Haruno Sakura's life did come back and bite them all in the asses. Really painfully. Sometimes, Kakashi hated being right.

**WARNING**: **Things get darker. Please skip if you cannot abuse and some rather degrading terms, Do not eat while reading. **If you think you can read this without puking, go for it!

"Your parents have always hated you. Despised you. Abused you. Whenever you asked an innocent question, they'd beat. For no other reason than 'children should be seen and not heard'. Don't you remember all those stinging blows?"

Suddenly there was an image of a young Sakura being held cruelly by the arm and getting hit. That image faded to one where Sakura was lying on the ground bloodied and _**still**_ taking kicks.

Quite a few people were horrified. More than one person gasped out in dumbstruck horror. Abuse was practically unheard of in Konoha, the punishments were severe. After all, what child could stand that and not tell someone? For that matter, wouldn't someone notice at least?

Apparently, this didn't apply to Sakura.

" You never really wanted to be a ninja. You wanted to be a dancer and you were _**so**_ good, too. Here's what you could've been.

At that moment, the was an appearance of an older Sakura, gracefully dancing.

"But when they found out, they were _**sooo**_ angry. They didn't want you happy. In the end, they pushed you out of the second story. With a pane of glass falling right before you. They, of course, couldn't just pretend not to notice the screams or the breaking of glass. No they waited for a bit then took you to the hospital. That meaning in the few seconds or even minutes that would've saved you were wasted. The chance of recovering completely, lost. You could still run, walk, and all those in between, just never dance. The muscles in you legs couldn't support that kind of strain. Out went your dreams of dancing. Out with the same window that you fell out of," Reaper had a kind of malicious glee in telling everyone the very things that Sakura tried to bury.

As Reaper spoke of Sakura's "accident", there was an image of young Sakura, falling and silently screaming as the ground covered in glittering glass came ever closer. Something so beautiful to look at from a distance, became horrifying. Soon, blood and then, the merciful blackness.

"Soon you found a new dream in being a musician. You had great skill in it. The music was wonderful and calming. They found out, but they didn't take it out on you physically. No, being that they couldn't stage another "accident", they went for mentally. One day, having the greatest day of your life, you came home to find a room full of broken instruments. It broke your will to play or to even sing. Another shattered dream."

By now, Reaper's voice had the quality that rivaled or even surpassed Orochimaru's.

Soon after the last statement, a crying child surrounded by broken instruments and broken dreams.

"No one helped you, no one heard you silent pleas for help. All alone in your misery. Let's see, who else could helped you but didn't? Ahh yes, Umino Iruka. He had the right question, just never asked them. Not that you could. After all, your parents _**were**_ANBU. The scary ANBU. They could've and would've made the lives of the people helping you, a misery. Oh yes, _**were**_. They died after all. On a mission. They were distracted, probably thinking of ways to vent. It doesn't matter. Don't you remember the vicious triumph that came to you. Finally free, but the Wheel of Tragedy refused to let you go. Back to Iruka, he should've asked. Should've tried to stop those last moments of grief and pain. No, in the end he left you to wallow in pain and sorrow." there was now cruel satisfaction in Reaper's voice. Iruka only had guilt. He had questions, but he never thought to ask. He had assumed that Sakura's problems were of Sasuke. There was nothing but cold despair in Iruka now. Despair at his short sight and guilt at the loss of a innocent soul.

Within Reaper, Sakura was changing. Not that anyone could see anyway. At the moment, Sakura's silhouette was curled up in a ball.

"Now why don't we start on Team 7."

"We would never do anything to hurt Sakura-chan. Your lying to us!" Naruto tried to argue. _Try_ being the operative word in this sentence.

Reaper merely turned to Naruto and despite himself, Naruto was scared and Reaper just said, "These are Sakura's memories. I say it how it is to her. In case you don't get that '_**TO HER'**_! These are her thoughts and feelings. Feeling you _**ALL**_ never thought about. Oh, I don't blame those who don't know her. Just those who should've saved her. Now then, back to Team 7."

There was only a growing sense of despair. Despair at the truth and the feeling of what could've been, should've been, and what might've been.

"First person up, Uzumaki Naruto." Reaper had the malicious pleasure at seeing Naruto's shocked and pained face. Around him, there were only confused gazes. What could've Naruto done? After all, he tried to _**help**_ Sakura. Everyone, go into shock of a lifetime mode. (If you're still reading at this point, I salute thee!)

"He's always there, oh yes, no mistake of that. However, once that need to train in order to beat Sasuke-_kun,_ off he goes, leaving you. Yes, he does need to train, but what of you? He never helped you to be stronger. So you can protect yourself. So that you don't have to depend on _their _help. No, it was always, protect the _weaker person_, in this case, **you** Sakura. Yes, he's had his own bad life, but at least his parents wouldn't hurt him. He had a future, you don't. You teetered on the edge of life and death. You wished that you could live that long."

" Stop it, just stop twisting everything to suit your needs. Stop twisting Sakura-chan's memories and mind. This isn't fair to her! Let her go!" Naruto was _very_ distressed at this point. Did Sakura know about _**that**_? (that being the kyuubi, folks.)

"Why should I? This is the truth after all. Next on Team 7: Uchiha Sasuke. Yes, admittedly he has had a life, but really now, he doesn't have to be so emo and pitiable. Though, he doesn't act pitiable. No, it's _**pathetic**_. Your life was worse and you keep on smiling. He's only ever hurt you and you truly love him. It's no mere crush, or infatuation, but he won't ever acknowledge it. Give it up. All he cares about is finding his brother and avenging his clan. He doesn't even know the truth."

Sasuke felt one of his eyebrows twitch. How the hell did Sakura find out about his clan? And what of this truth that Sakura just spouted out? (really Sasuke, some genius you are. This isn't really Sakura.)

Ino, who was longer being attacked to her relief, had a frown on her face thinking, _What's happened to you, Sakura?_

"Last, but not least: Hatake Kakashi. He never cared about you. If he had the choice of training the boys or you, it would the guys. He thought you as weak. That you should quit being a kunochi. As if you could. With everything that had happened, your only option of survival was to become a shinobi. He ignored your requests of help. Help that would've made you less dependant on them. He was always "busy". Busy train Naruto and Sasuke, I bet. To busy to realize that one of his students was dying inside. Too busy to care. No one cares. They're too busy to care. So much pain, so much sorrow, guilt, hatred, and sadness. Always shunned to one side. Always weak, but you see, we can help. Only we understand your pain. How many countless others before you were faced with us? Too many. You realize it don't you? They never card and they never will. Fall into the merciful darkness. Surrender to become what everything has set upon you. This is your only hope now. Who would want a broken child? No one, absolutely no one."

_**Warning in over.**_

Kakashi knew this was true and felt guilty at the realization. At that point however, it was the point of no return and second chances slim.

A heart-piercing scream of anguish and hate tore through the area and beyond.

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What do you think so far? Yes, I took a few liberties here and there. I am really sorry if it seems demented, but my mind wouldn't let me tone it down and I've been reading demented books recommend to me. This chapter hit me when I was out walking, so don't kill me for changing up Sakura's life.=)

On the other hand, the next chapter may be bloody, so, should I put up the rating or should I imply it and keep the rating. Also, should I shift the third fights of the exams so that Sakura is against Sasuke or should it be against Temari.

Tell me what you think. Criticism is welcome and review if you wish. Till next time!

--winter's

P.S. please forgive me for posting up the wrong chapter. -.-


	3. Chapter 3

Note:** The next chapter will have the implied bloodiness and maybe the fights. Read the afterwords/author's end !  
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**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto or anything anime related, that is, except for the plotline.

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Chapter 3

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From somewhere within Reaper-

_They were all the memories. Some barely hurtful others truly painful. The memories never stopped their unrelenting assault on Sakura slowly thinning sanity. Then, a hand reached out to Sakura. _

"_Sakura-imouto, what's wrong?"_

"_Who are you?"_

"_Don't you remember, it's me, your onee-san."_ (Sakura doesn't really have a sister in my fic, but Reaper is using Sakura lucidity as a chance to create more pain.)

"_Onee-san?"_

"_Un, come one, you have to-"_

_Sakura's onee-san was cut off by the fact that her head was severed from her body. There behind her sister's body, were her parents. With a sword, covered in her sister's blood._

"_Onee-san? ONEE-SAN!"_

_That was it for Sakura's sanity. As wracking pain tore through Sakura, she couldn't help but scream out her anguish at her sister's dead body, her hatred for her parents, and all the people who left her, and something no one ever hear outside, heartbreak for something that was truly and irrevocably lost._

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Something had broken out of Reaper. It was hunched over with membranous wings covering it. Slowly, it straightened itself and unfurled it's wings. There was Sakura, yet none would believe it, for there were so many changes.

Everyone who knew or at least had seen Sakura were horrified at the changes, even those not from the village.

Sakura's already pale complexion was now pallid, pasty, white color. Her usually cheery green eyes were emotionless, dead, and dull. The whites of her eyes were now black. Her bright, glossy pink hair was lank, matted, and just as dull as her eyes. Even her clothes had changed. From the her dress with slits, the Haruno clan circle, and shorts to the shoes she wore. Her dress and shorts were replaced with a long dress made for a gray material. The bottom and edges of the sleeves were frayed and ripped. There was no doubt that her shoes were also changed, but no one saw them because the dress went to the floor. Jutting from Sakura's back were pure black wings. Wings like a bat's but with long, thin, sharp spikes from the tips of the wings and what look suspiciously like poison covering it.

Reaper then cried out, "Who do you love?"

"No one."

Sasuke, for reasons unknown to him, felt something go through his heart. He refused to show it outside though. Inside, he and his dormant-but-not-anymore inner knew and remembered all those times when she would freely give her love and heart to him. Those words were always filled with happiness and love. This new voice, it was chilling, cold, indifferent, and dead. It truly and honestly frightened him with how indifferent she was. Sakura was not indifferent because that didn't fit her. She was the one who loved and cared.

"Who do you hate?"

"Everyone."

On the Konoha side, nearly everyone flinched at the cold, dead tone.

"What is your wish?"

Sakura closed her eyes…

Konoha held their breathe…

"Everyone would disappear."

Despair shrouded everyone, desperation flooded and overtook senses.

Reaper merely laughed, "Another fallen angel created. This one truly a plague on humanity! One more powerful than anything that I've ever pushed or created!"

After speaking these words, Reaper began to change. Reaper become more solid, more defined. Long hair, with the upper body of a woman, the lower body a mass of tendrils. There were no pupils within her eyes, and her smile was cruel. Her coloring slightly changed. A shade of red nearly going into black.(If you don't get the image, look up "Riful, awakened" and you'll see an image that pretty much describes Reaper now)

"Haha, hahaha. Sa, go Sakura and fight the first person that should've rescued you!" Even Reaper's voice changed. It was a lilting, rich soprano. It was almost seductive, but underneath it all, there was malicious glee.

With a cold voice that could've rivaled Gaara or Sasuke, "Understood. Death of Yamanaka Ino will commence."

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Sakura flew towards Ino, scythe in hand. The scythe was very dangerous. Sharp and with jagged ends to make the already painful experience in getting cut, much worse.

Ino, already exhausted, could barely dodge Sakura's onslaught. In fact, Sakura was really fast and had already used the flat of the flat of the blade to send Ino flying to the stands. And let me tell you something, it pained Ino mentally and physically.

Mentally, because she couldn't believe the things Sakura went through, her guilt, and the fact that Sakura would willingly hurt her like this.

Physically, because it obviously hurt like hell!

Naruto was understandably distressed. The only thoughts running through his head were: _Why's Sakura-chan doing this? Why did this have to happen to her? Why didn't she tell us?_

Kakashi's mind was blank except for the echoing of one thought: _Did I unknowingly help to create this semblance of a child who was supposed to be under my care?_

Sasuke, who was distracted and his inner took over the thought of his mind,just thought:_ What'll happen to our cherry blossom? May be I should've paid more attention._ Somewhere underneath all that emoness, Sasuke really cared about Sakura. (wonder if he noticed that he said "our")

Sakura was in front of Ino, and her wings were touching the wall. In the places where the wings touched, the wall melted. It seemed that on nonliving things, it was acid. For living, it was most likely poison.

"Enough, Ino is out for the match. You've won," Asuma tried to say to Sakura.

"Says who? Sakura will eventually kill those who left her no doubt it. Why wait for something that is inevitable? Get it over with now. Besides, why would she listen to you? Only we understand her, only we care about her."

"Liar, we do care and why do you keep on saying 'we'?"

"Sakura is not the only one to have fallen. One day, there will be a time when Sakura's life completely burns out. At that time, I'll be there to absorb her spirit. By now you've realized that there are many emotions that practically conflict with each other. I am made up of girls and women just like Sakura. I gave them something they could do, something that they could live for. A way to protect themselves. In exchange, they stay with me for all eternity. Bringing more girls and women to what we are, to the darkness."

"Double liar! They had no choice. You possessed them, forced them into accepting!"

"May be so, may be no. In the end though, it's the end results that I look forward to. She may even become strong enough to take over. Well, it doesn't matter. Sakura! Don't listen to them, kill the girl."

Sakura went to move, but the jerked to a stop. Then-

CLANK!

She dropped the scythe.

Sakura slowly blinked, looked around, and at herself. Her eyes were back to normal.

"Sakura-chan?"

"Are you going to save? Who's going to finally save me? Please, someone hel- Arghhh!"

Reaper's tendrils retook control by forcing itself down her throat. (watch yu gi oh 5D's ep 59, it'll make sense) And once more, Sakura was no longer in control.

"Well, I admit that I thought she neatly submitted to me, but no worries. There are ways for taming someone with a strong will. We'll leave since I need to properly set my control on Sakura. We'll be back. See you in three months time."

Sakura hung limply with a one of Reaper's tendrils coiled around her waist. Another picked up Sakura's scythe.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I'm no longer Reaper. It's now Nakago. Remember that." and with that, Nakago cackled evilly and left, leaving Konoha severely depressed.

"What's going to happen now?" Naruto said in a depressed manner and not in his hyperactive self.

"I honestly don't know. I really don't know," Kakashi replied sadly and guiltily. He sounded like he had lost an important battle. And perhaps he did. He left another comrade down, and they had paid a severe price for it.

There were no sounds, only the emptiness of what was once innocent. Those days were gone. Everything was now tainted.

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Hello! another chapter done! Here's some questions that i REALLY need you guys to answer. If you don't, I won't update. Well, more like i can't. I can't decide on some parts of the plot and have really nothing to do with the plot. And here are the questions:

**Who should Sakura fight against? Sasuke or Temari? Or should she fight temari then straight away fight Sasuke? The choice is in you hands. **

Next, i have an idea for a sequel. Do you want me to write one up. This can be a standalone or i can continue it.

**So, do you want me to write up a sequel?**

Third, **should i start writing a story that has nothing to do with this current story? If yes, then i'll post up summaries and you can choose after, but this is if people want another story different from this.**

Review if you like, but please answer the questions!or at least the first.

Till next time folks! =)

--winter's


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_ or anything, just the plotline.

There going to be a lot of taking for a while. Bear with it until you get to the battle. Thanks to those who actually answered my questions. And to those that didn't, shame on you. Jkjk. On with the story!

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Chapter 4

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Two month time skip

Even now, two months later, those who saw Sakura's last battle and her transformation were still affected by it. The images, Nakago, and the entire battle were engraved within their minds. No one though, were as affected as Team 7.

"It's just not the same without Sakura-chan," Naruto stated dejectedly.

"Urasai, Dobe," Sasuke shot back irritably. He'd been a lot more tetchy since Sakura's departure.

The Hokage decided against declaring Sakura as a nukenin as Nakago did say that they would return and although Nakago threatened to have Sakura kill those of her past, it would be Nakago that had done it, through Sakura. At least, that's what the Hokage thought anyway when he discussed this with the elders.

Naruto and Sasuke were being trained, but none of then could really concentrate. Guilt just welled in the blond and the raven was irritated as ever. Neither one of them could forget the horrified look on Sakura's face when for that brief moment she was in control, that and her plea for help which none of them responded to. They were just too numbed by what they'd learned. In the end they actually reached an agreement: both utterly disgusted with each other that they didn't even move to help Sakura and they'd work together somehow in getting her back.

"Oi, Teme, I'm going out with some other teacher for the next month. At the fights, we'll find a way to get back Sakura-chan."

"Hn." They boys had come to a temporary truce. Sasuke would give up thoughts of going to Orochimaru (Naruto doesn't know that, he's just assuming that Sasuke and the person he wants to kill will be on hold for now) till they got back to Sakura and Naruto wouldn't be as annoying as usual. For them, Sakura was the only thing to stop them from really going at it. She would actually worry about them, never mind the fact that she wanted to kill them. Though in their minds, they really thought that Nakago would just control Sakura in doing that.

Just as they were about to leave, a creature of Nakago's swooped in and dropped something, and then disappeared. How did they know? It was purple and yellow with some orange, plus, it was weirdly shaped.

The thing that the creature dropped was a crystal which hit Sasuke rather soundly on the head with a loud and audible THUNK!

"Oww," Sasuke growled out as he rubbed the spot where he was hit and picked up the crystal.

There was a piece of paper wrapped around the crystal that read "To: Team 7 and _all_ of Team 7. From: Nakago. P.S. This is for _only_ Team 7"

With that, the boys ran off, with Sasuke clutching the crystal, to find Kakshi.

The crystal began to pulse soft red.

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"Kaka-sensei! We have something to show you!"

"Naruto, it's a day-"

"It's from _**that**_ person."

"Let's go."

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Once Team 7 had gone to the Hokage to tell him of the crystal and its conditions, they were allowed to go and see what the crystal was about.

The moment Team 7 was deep within their training ground, the crystal opened up and a screen/hologram faded into view. Who should be on the hologram with a smirk on her face? Nakago, of course.

"I assume that you're in a secure place away from prying eyes. This is a one time message and the crystal will dissolve or explode, one of those two, to make sure that this is a once only message. It's pre-recorded, so keep your mouth shut."

Team 7 (namely Naruto) were about to yell, mutter, etc. when Nakago said, "I want to tell you about Sakura's improvement."

Team 7 instantly froze. For two long months, there was no contact or of anything from Sakura. As a result: Naruto-a bit more depressed, Sasuke-having his concentration falter with revenge, Kakashi-more time in front of the memorial.

"First, I suppose you'll want to Sakura? Sakura! Come here!"

There was Sakura, standing upright and proud. Her scythe was now double ended and there were daggers along with her. Only her clothes had changed. though her hair was a little longer and put up. The long dress that went to the floor was just long in the back and cut in a upside down "V" in the front. A majority of the dress was black, but there were some grays and silver. The sleeves and bodice were in a spider web pattern. And her shoes were black combat boots that stopped a few inches from her knees. What were once wings of membrane, were now black, tough skin.

"Sakura, do you have anything to say to your team?"

Silence, just empty silence.

"Well then, I suppose you can go back to training."

After the last word, Sakura turned her back on them. For the team, it felt worse than when she was taken. This time, she had willingly turned her back on them.

"Well, about her improvements, she's amazing! She can take out an enemy cleanly with minimal blood or she can be _**very**_ messy. I would show you, but I unfortunately don't have the footage of her battles. Most of the time she fights messily and that's pretty much how I prefer it, all that pain. Of course, she's also learned to torture and she does it so beautifully. Almost as though she was born into it. Sak-"

Nakago's words fell to deaf ears as the guys went over what Nakago told them. All the things that she had become and what she had done. In the back of their minds, they thought of how Sakura would react once she remembered what she had done. How were they going to help her with that?

"-marvelous with all sorts of weapons. She's nearly bloodied up every weapon in the storeroom. An there are so many lovely weapons in there. She also uses her wings to intimidate, but they're so very useful in other ways. Hmm, that's about it then. See you in a month! By the way, my sources tell me that Sakura will be fighting Sasuke. It'll be interesting, won't it? Goodbye, then!" Nakago was giddy with excitement with the thought of her strongest fallen angel fight and potentially killing the last Uchiha.

The images and the crystal just dissolved. Not that anyone really noticed, the guys were too caught up in plans of rescuing Sakura.

Naruto was the first to break the silence, "I better get going. Ero-sennin's going soon and I still have to pack. One more thing Teme, do whatever you can and _bring Sakura back_."

"Sasuke, let's get back to the Chidori."

"Hn." Even if he didn't show it, there was something going on with him and for once, he didn't understand. Had Sasuke not thrown his inner in a _**very**_ small box and even smaller air hole, his inner would've yelled it out to him. But he didn't and that was because the air hole was really a small prick.

He couldn't tell what he really wanted. Getting more power and lose Sakura (not to mention getting his ears blown off by Naruto) or resucing Sakura and _**maybe**_ lose the chance for more power. Inner, somehow managed to make the air hole bigger, grumbled that he should just throw revenge out the window and rescue their cherry blossom and live happily ever after in Konoha. Sasuke's mind was so distracted by his thoughts and Inner's grumbling that it caused him to get hit by Kakashi.

"Pay attention," Kakashi lightly scolded him. It wasn't often that Sasuke's concentration was wandering. Kakshi suspected it was about Sakura and the oncoming fight. It was going to be a long month.

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It was a long month, but Sasuke mastered Chidori, though, the thought of using it on Sakura admittedly enough rather worried him. That and the fact that inner decided to be annoying and send him weird dreams. Apparently, even though Inner was in an even _**smaller**_ box, he could influence dreams. For Sasuke, it was even more annoying than anything else.

Tomorrow was the battle and he couldn't afford to be off track in the slightest.

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The only battle remaining was Sakura's and Sasuke. A battle in which they were _**both**_ late.

There were mutters from the stands and the overseer, Genma, declared that if they were not in the arena by noon, the battle would result in a double K.O.

No sooner had Genma said that, the earth shook and cracked open, creating an abyss. From within the abyss, Nakago came out.

"So sorry to be late," Nakago mockingly said, "Sakura's still sleeping after eating. You'll be wanting Sakura, no?"

From the abyss, a dark flower bud appeared. It was dark in color and promised almost certain death if you got too near. It either had a mind of its own or there snakes on the bud because the leaves and vines kept on moving around independently of each other.

"Chilling flames of darkness, engulf the world."

This sentence made the stadium seems darker, more colder. It did not help at all, that the flower bud was being surround by a dark colored fire.

"Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom!"

The bud burst open and a streak of black flew out. The streak steadily climbed the altitude only to plummet quickly down to the ground. At the very last second, the streak sharply turned up and hovered above the ground.

There was Sakura, now looking more confident than ever. Mutters and gasps broke out as those in the stands took in her appearance. Not only that, but, there was an aura around her now. Previously, there wasn't, just numbness. Now? There was a cold chill surrounding, cloaking her. It was to the point where even non-shinobis could feel the dark chill.

Once more, her outfit changed. Sakura was now wearing comfortable pants that had a spider web pattern going up one leg. Her shirt was short sleeved, but had a chest plate covering the majority of the front. The plate had a swirl design on it. Covering her arms were handless gloves (the kind that Sasuke wears in Part 2). Her wings were held aloft as and the scythe was in hand, ready to be used. The black combat shoes were there. Some of the pant legs were tucked into the boots.

Then a tornado of leaves appeared and there stood Kakashi and Sasuke.

"You're late," Genma said by way of greeting. He was rather amused. It seemed like both the Genin and their teachers liked to make an appearance.

"Sorry?" Kakashi laughed.

"Well, now that the players have arrived, I'll be leaving. I will watch, just away from here. It seems that I'm not trusted. It truly pains me that even with Sakura a common ground between us, you think that I'd kill you all. Oh well, buh-bye."

Nakago went to the edge of the abyss and soon went in. The earth rumbled and shook as the earth once more came together, dark fire sealing the abyss.

"The fifth battle of the Chuunin exams, will begin!"

* * *

It was only ten minutes into the battle and Sasuke was already out of breathe. He was barely able to dodge her attacks. Sakura should've been out of breathe with all her swings and blasts, but she wasn't. She looked as though this was just a walk in a park.

Yes, Haruno Sakura, _formerly_ one of the weakest kunochi in Konoha, was blasting out chakra. Big blasts that went KA-BOOM! when it hit something. It didn't really help him that she was mocking and taunting him.

"In the end, my first kill wasn't Ino," Sakura mused, "It's the Uchiha."

A slight pang that came out of nowhere hit Sasuke when Sakura didn't call him Sasuke-kun.

"Oh well. May be I should tell you everything that I've been taught or found out. My,my, all the interesting things that Nakago has found. Things that included your clan amazingly enough. By the way, I. Found. You."

_Shit_. Sasuke couldn't really help curse in his mind as the scythe swung down. _How the hell did see find me so quickly without me sensing her? How she moving so fast? And what the hell did she find out?!  
_

"Oi, Teme! Don't hurt Sakura!" While Naruto was impressed with the fact that Sakura was taunting Sasuke, he was a little worried. She showed no signs of tiring or anything. She wasn't even sweating and it was nearly 100 degrees out here! It was a wonder she didn't faint or get a stroke with all that black. He realized that Nakago could've experiment with Sakura. The thought of that scared him and angered. He just wanted to strangle Nakago if she really experimented with her.

"Urasai, Dobe! Can't you see that it's me that getting hurt or otherwise tiring out?!"

Sasuke just dodged an oncoming stroke only to have Sakura swing around and kick him in the stomach. The entire battle was like this. He'd dodge only to get hit. It wasn't right. Sakura was suppose to be cheering him and the dobe as the fought, not fighting and actually hurting him.

The kick sent him crashing into the tree.

"Sakura, stop. This isn't you and you know it," Sasuke knew it'd be impossible to reason with her, but for the sake of his ears, he'd try.

"Hmph, fools the lot of you. You know that reasoning with me is impossible. Why try?"

No sooner had Sakura said that sentence, from the ground came chains with manacles on them. Sakura couldn't dodge them because they surrounded her and came at a fast pace. Which then resulted in her capture.

"Why do I bother? Because you've just fallen into my trap."

"Very funny Uchih-ARGH! What the hell is going on? What did you put in these chains, you bastard?!"

"That's not nice, cussing out the person who you've practically given your love to."

"Why the hell would you care? I-" Sakura didn't finish the sentence as she was puking up what looked like blood.

Now everyone was worried, was Sakura dying or was this temporary.

That was until the red began to move.

* * *

In case your wondering what the red is, it's pieces of Nakago that forced its way into Sakura, therefore controlling her. And she puking it up why? That's in the next chapter folks!=)

Tell what you think so far. This question I kind of need you to answer:

Should I put the blame on the massacre on Orochimaru (even though I do know what happens) and put Itachi in the clear and allow him to return?

--winter's


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_ or anything, just the plot.

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

"What the hell is going on?"

Such questions were going on within the stadium. There was no doubt that there were confusions. Hell, even _Sasuke_ didn't know what was going on.

"Sasuke?"

Sakura was back to normal with her eyes back to their normal shade, no mocking tone, no longer taunting him, but still there was still something different.

Nakago's pieces liquidized and vanished, leaving a normal Sakura in a center a chains.

"Sasuke, are you going to answer me?"

_There still something wrong, something missing. _Sasuke couldn't really figure it out and he hated it. He was a genius for kami's sake.

**For someone who's a genius, you're an idiot!-**Inner

_Didn't I lock you up somewhere?_

**I got out, but that's not the point. The point is, our cherry blossom left out the **_**-kun**_** in our name. To make that worse, she's saying things emotionlessly, in a flat and in, wait, do I hear cynical? NOOOOOOOOO! No emotions whatsoever! She's suppose to be full of love!**

_Are you really my inner?_

**I want my suffix back now!** At this point, Inner was in tears and crying his heart out.

"Sasuke are-"

"Sakura, what are you feeling right now?"

"To tell you the truth, nothing. I kinda feel numb."

Sasuke and everyone who heard _that_ sentence were in complete disbelief. Logically speaking, because of her missing emotions, she would make a great assassin/ninja. If you throw out logic, your heart screams out _We want the kind, emotion filled, easy to read Sakura back now!_

And that was what Team 7 were all thinking. Naruto's was in complete shock and couldn't think of anything to say. Kakashi, for once, was not reading his book. Sasuke, at least his inner anyway, was screaming in his mind that he wanted his cherry blossom to go back the way she was and they could live happily ever after.

Sakura question brought him out of his inner's chatter, "How did you know that adding chakra to certain types of metal, Nakago'd be forced out? She has a strange aversion to metal and chakra together."

"…I didn't. The chakra was to enhance the strength of the chains, so that you don't escape."

"That is one of _the _most luckiest save I've ever heard of. Guess that doesn't matter, we still have a match to fight."

"You still want to fight without-"

"Oh, please. Spare me you assumptions that Nakago was the reason for my new powers. My strength are from no one but my own."

"…Hn."

"Antisocial as always."

Sasuke was rather unnerved that Sakura was scolding/teasing him in a flat, rather cynical tone. His train of thought was broken when Sakura freed herself and began attacking. How she freed herself, no one really knows.

"Alright, let's start this off the _**right **_way." Suddenly, Sasuke wished that he hadn't woken up this morning.

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This was officially the longest, the hardest battle Sasuke ha ever fought.

Sakura's main style of attack was to wear him down and when he least expected, get hit with a kick or a punch. A _very_ heavy and hard punch or kick.

Sasuke was rather annoyed that Sakura still wanted to fight even though Nakago was out. Though with that flat , cynical voice of hers, it might just mean that her emotions were locked up and she really didn't care what was going on either way, however, that would imply that Sakura no longer loved him right? No, that wasn't right, Sakura was only capable of love, never this numbness or blankness. She was the one full of predictable emotions and love.

Sasuke was shortly brought out of his musings when Sakura used an uppercut on him.

"Oi, Sasuke, if you don't fight, you get hurt. So, are you going fight or do you want to continue kissing dirt?"

"Hn." That smile was gone. The smile that was reserved for him wasn't there. The guys of Team 7 mutually agreed to protect her smile and it looked like they failed in that. Her emotions were gone and any smile that she might've used now were only going to be fake, and they all knew it.

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Another ten minutes went by and Sasuke wasn't the only one hurt. Still, Sakura wasn't hurt on the scale that Sasuke was.

He was in a hurry to finish was about to start up Chidori when,

"Sasuke, do you know who really killed your clan?"

"Obviously-"

"Wrong. The one who you thought killed the clan was by controlled. He didn't really want to, not that he knew until it was too late."

"…For once, I'll admit that I don't get what you're saying."

"Some genius you are," Sakura made sure that her mutter was low enough that Sasuke couldn't hear even with the super ninja hearing, "It all starts and will end with the one who gave you that mark."

"Sakura, I'm sure-"

"You weren't the one who was with Nakago for two months. Besides, she _knows_ when someone's going to massacre a whole clan. To add to that, she was a book on those clan massacres, who killed them, why, and how."

"…You actually read that book? You of all people?" Sasuke was rather taken aback that Sakura would read such a thing,

"I don't spend my time training _all_ the time and I was bored. I didn't really feel like sneaking out at that time and that's what I usually do when I'm bored."

"Alright, start explaining."

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"The Uchiha clan were planning a coup d'etat at the urging of Uchiha Fugaku. However, Uchiha Fugaku did not know that he was doing himself because Orochimaru had him under a jutsu. Orochimaru, as you know wanted Sharingan. He want the best, so he went after the children of the head family. Your family. He used the jutsu as your father on Itachi in order to get him out of Konoha and after his Sharingan. When Itachi found out what Orochimaru made him do, he was, well mad is too kind of a word and wrathful doesn't even cover it. Actually, there isn't really anything to describe how mad your aniki was, so just imagine his anger."

Sasuke knowing he aniki's temper, inwardly cringed at the thought of what his aniki could _really_ do when angered. Really, really angered.

"Since Orochimaru couldn't get your brother without dying a slow, horrible, and not to mention bloody death, he's after you."

"Tell me something don't know," Sasuke was sarcastic, but that didn't really get to Sakura. Sakura no longer remembered having emotions and thus, she can't properly react.

"Your brother is totally innocent, and on the rare days that I snuck out and was in control, I found him, threatened him that if he doesn't come back, explain he's innocence, and return to being a Konoha shinobi, I'd castrate him, then force him to come back. Needless to say, he agreed after I clobbered him into the dust. Along with his partner now that I think of it," Sakura completely deadpanned this and had a poker face on. There was no doubt that she really did what she said. And thus:

Cue the anime sweat drops.

"You didn't really, right? Castrate him, I mean."

"'Course not. If I did, he'd be after my blood. Oh, by the way, I give up this match, I wanna eat then go to sleep.

Cue the lager sweat drops.

"Uhh…(cough cough) The fifth match-"

"Oh, that reminds me, (takes a deep breathe and yells in monotone) OK PEOPLE, LISTEN UP! SAND AND SOUND ARE IN FOR A TAKE OVER. KAZEKAGE OF SAND IS DEAD AND OROCHIMARU TOOK OVER AND IS RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOKAGE! SOUND IS JUST HERE TO DESTROY US, SAND, I HAVE NO IDEA AT ALL. AND WHERE THE HELL IS ANBU?! THEY'RE SUPPOSE TO PROTECT THE HOKAGE! Ok, you can talk now."

"Erm, start the invasion!

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"Don't bother, Orochimaru. All your ninjas and the Sand shinobis have been taken care of. You are the only one left. Which is why I will ask again: where the hell is ANBU when you need them?"

Of course, the Sand siblings could've been in position to attack if not for the fact that Baki was tied up and couldn't tell them to get attacking.

"You meddlesome child-" Orochimaru attempted to stand up. Note the "attempted".

"My chakra, you-"

"Drained it, you sick pedophile. Stick around for a while. Make yourself comfortable. ANBU will be will you shortly."

"Oi, Sakura, when you said that my aniki would be back-"

"He's coming. He said that he will be unable to return for about another month. Apparently, Itachi has some matters to finish."

"How do you know he won't just run for it?" This time it was Genma who asked and it was the same question that Sasuke was about to inquire.

"Simple, he really was relieved that he could go back home. Now, can someone _please _get rid of the sick pedophile? He's annoying and I wouldn't be able to sleep if he's up there whining."

"Sakura-chan! How can you worry about sleeping when there was some sick pedophile trying to kill the old man?!"

"I don't have to because ANBU's taking said pedophile away, baka."

"Ne, ne Sakura-chan, now that your in control, you can get rid of the chains, right?"

Of course Naruto didn't bother with an answer when he came down and got rid of the chains. Which then opened up another huge problem: stopping Sakura rampage.

"How troublesome."

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That's the end of another chapter. If you're wonder if they'll ever find a way to _really _get rid of Nakago, yes they will. Just not now. They have to stop Sakura's destructive rampage first though. Review if you like.

--winter's


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** I only own the plot line.

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

After Naruto had accidentally unchained Sakura, she went into a destructive frenzy. Thankfully not a murderous one. There were no casualties, but quite a few injuries, destroyed buildings, and some fires here and there.

In the end, though, it took ten jounin, twenty chuunin, four ANBU squads, and five hours to restrain and enchain Sakura.

"I don't get it! Nakago's out, so shouldn't you be okay, Sakura-chan?!" Naruto was understandably worried and very injured.

Why was he injured? After regaining control, Sakura proceeded to beat up Naruto with a little (more like a lot) of help from Sasuke.

"To answer your question, those pieces that I puked up were the _**physical**_ controls. Those pieces are what show that she can control me _and_ that I technically belong to her. Now, mentally, that's different because I was with her for three months. She found ways of controlling me without those physical pieces, or medium, if you will. Nakago still uses them thought because it's just easier. So, take the chains off, and the mental controls kick in. That and she can pretty much track me wherever I am."

"So basically, Nakago has two controls on you. A mental and physical. The physical is the primal control and requires pieces of her and the mental's the back-up and tracking." Kakashi explained more simply after seeing Naruto's mouth open.

"That's correct, yes."

"Interesting. Anyway to get rid of the mental control? And what about your emotions?"

"So far? My only solution and option is to go find Nakago and for the better lack of any other word, vanquish her. As for my emotions, it might be the mental controls. While she can't really control me and make me do things, for all I know, she can do a emotional lockdown on me. It's probably to make sure that I don't have any extra resistance to killing you all if she takes me back."

"Sakura-chan, can't you just keep the chains on?"

"Naruto, they get in the way of missions. Besides, what if somehow Nakago manages to get over her aversion to metal and chakra. She may break the chains and I'll go back to attacking everyone."

"Demo, Sakura-"

"Urasai, dobe. For now we'll have to keep the chains on and see if we can get a mission to get rid of Nakago."

Teme, you said more that two letters! Someone help! Nakago replaced Teme! Help-"

"Naruto, urasai." Naruto immediately went silent when Sakura lifted her scythe.

An hour later… with the Hokage

"Team 7, for now you'll have to keep watch over Sakura in case anything happens."

"Unfortunately, Hokage, my apartment was burned and destroyed in my rampage. Where do you suggest I stay at?"

"Hm… Naruto's apartment is too small and could very well be toxic and Kakashi's is only meant for one person, which leaves…"

By now everyone figured out where Sakura was going to have to stay and stared at the raven head.

"Hn."

"It is decided then. Haruno Sakura, you will stay with Uchiha Sasuke until we can find a way to safely get rid of the mind control." The Hokage was grave outwardly, but inside, he was wondering what would happen first: Sasuke finding his hormones or Sakura finding her feelings.

"Demo-"

"Urasai, Naruto." Everyone in the room except Naruto said this at the exact same time. This resulted in an anime sweat drop from said person.

* * *

"Sakura, this way."

As Sakura turned to follow Sasuke, he couldn't help but wonder what would happen now. Not to mention all the other things that had been happening. His older brother innocent and allowed to return, Sakura completely emotionless, how to control himself when he's alone with Sakur- No! Wait , he did **not** just think that.

_**Sure you didn't**_-Inner

_Thought I banished you to the darkness._

_**Nope, I escaped.**_ *insert smiley face*

"Sasuke? You there?"

"Hm?"

"We're here, right?"

"Hn."

As Sasuke went to unlock the door, realized that it was getting darker and by now they both should be hungry.

"Sakura."

"Hm?"

"Are you hungry?"

"…"

"Sakura…" Sasuke was getting annoyed. Even though she technically didn't have emotions, she looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"First, show me where I'm going to sleep and let me unpack before y-we eat."

Sasuke arched an eyebrow, but never the less did as she asked, however, Sakura was stalling for time and he knew it.

* * *

After unpacking…..

So, hat are you going to eat?"

Sasuke immediately noticed that she said "you" not "we".

"Sakura, what's going on?"

Sakura defiantly looked a bit more uncomfortable even if she probably didn't notice it.

"Sakura, are you getting your emotions back? You look rather uncomfortable."

*Sigh* "Fine. Ever since my time with Nakago, she did do some experimentation on me. One of the rather sad side effects still linger even though she got some of the kinks out."

"Keep going. You're still holding out."

_Of all the people I could've stayed with, why the really perceptive one? _

"The side effect is that I can't eat solid food."

"That's it? No problem with that, you'll just eat a lot of soup."

"No, there is a problem. I can't eat anything or for that matter drink anything except…"

"Except what?" He had a feeling of where this was going, but at the risk of being clichéd, he'd push it out.

"Blood"

* * *

While Sasuke rarely ever cussed outwardly or even in his mind, this was one of those times where it feels better to do so.

_What the hell? What the hell, this is getting clichéd right here. Blood, of all things, it had to be freaking blood?!_

_**That's right outer! Our poor Sakura, she can only drink that stuff. We have GOT to destroy Nakago if we want her to be able to eat properly.**_

_Shut up and go somewhere else._

_**Someone's pissed.**_

_Che._

_

* * *

_

"Sasuke? You okay? You don't look so good."

"I'll eat, but then we'll have to figure out how to feed you after. So don't run away or lock yourself in the room. You know what? Better yet, you 're staying here until we've solved for eating habits."

"…You just said more than a paragraph's worth of words. Am I dead, dying, hallucinating?"

"Sakura… help me cook," Sasuke growled out. Sasuke sort of noticed that Sakura was showing some emotions, but it didn't look like she noticed it. It might be that Nakago's control slightly weakening.

* * *

About an hour later, Sasuke had finished and washed all the dishes.

"Alright, what type of blood do you drink and how much of it?"

Sakura 's face showed a bit of surprise, but answered, "It doesn't really matter as long as it's blood. Since Nakago was in control and usually preferred those in pain, I drank the body dry. I should be able to control myself and only drink my fill."

"Right, then." With that, Sasuke suddenly grabbed one of Sakura's wrists in an iron grip and pulled her so that she now sat in his lap, facing away from him. His arms came around her, keeping her form leaping away.

"Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"Feeding you. Now shut up." With one arm wrapped around Sakura, the other arm was free to grab a kunai. The arm around Sakura lifted up and the hand with the kunai cut the palm of the free hand. Blood began to flow out.

"Sakura, drink," Sasuke flat out ordered her.

"But-"

"It'll go to waste, I could possibly, while unlikely, die, and probably you as well. Drink."

"Hai." It was soft but resigned. Slowly Sakura bought her small hands up and lightly brought Sasuke's hand up to her mouth. She gently sucked and licked at the cut, drawing in blood.

Sasuke was faintly surprised that her lips were soft and warm. Her tongue was gentle and rather relaxing. He gripped and brought Sakura closer to him, reveling in her warmth.

To Sakura, Sasuke's blood was sweet, but with a sour tang to it. Yet, there was a sense of wrongness to the blood, something vaguely snakelike. Sakura was only faintly aware of Sasuke pulling her closer.

_The wrongness must be the curse mark._ This was but a vague and passing thought as Sakura continued to drink her fill.

Sakura soon pulled his hand away from her mouth a bit and licked at the cut once more, closing it somehow.

"There, I'm full now."

"Hn." Sasuke didn't know when it happened, but his head was resting on Sakura's shoulder and Sakura had just leaned back. This action resulted in Sasuke's head now resting in the crook of her neck. Her hands were resting over Sasuke's. For once, he didn't mind being in contact with someone. With Sakura, it felt _right_ somehow.

They stayed like that for a while, comfortable and safe in each others warmth.

Soon, they went to bed, but they were tired and, for Sasuke weak from blood loss, decided to sleep in the closest room together, which was Sasuke's. Not really caring if it would be awkward later, they shared the bed. Sasuke wrapped his arms protectively and almost possessively around Sakura. Sakura was facing him and when he wrapped his arms around her, she promptly burried her head in his warm chest.

"Goodnight."

"Hn."

As they fell into a deep slumber, unbeknownst to them, turmoil, chaos, and maliciousness bubbled and coiled.

The chains that bound Sakura sanity together cracked and red oozed out.

* * *

**Author's Corner**

This chapter came out later than usual because there was a test that counted for a significant portion of my grade in summer class. So to prepare, I stopped everything and studied for it because if I didn't pass it would mean an hour or more lecture along with my Internet pulled out. I passed and here's the chapter! For those who like fluff, well, it's up and I really don't know how much of a fluff it really is so you guys tell me.

With Sakura, it's basically that she can show emotions, it's just that she doesn't know it and she can't react to emotions when faced with it. I'm sure they'll figure out something with Sakura.

Keep cheering me on in what ever way you can! See you next time!

--winter's


	7. Chapter 7

**I am REALLY, REALLY sorry about this super late update. The last few weeks have been hectic with TWO major tests in two weeks, finding out that there was a bloody summer reading assignment due on the day of class, finals, a piano recital and then finding out that my Vietnamese language school teacher would be my mom of all people. After that, it was a nightmare of writer's block. Sometimes, I think that someone is out to get me. -.- Well, enjoy the chapter and review if you wish.**

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**Disclaimer**: I don't own _Naruto_ or anything that sounds similar or the same to other animes. I just own the plot.

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Chapter 7

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Dawn was a little ways off, but Sasuke was naturally an early riser, so he woke up first. He was a bit amused that he actually slept without the usual nightmares, and the realized that, strangely, his arm had gone numb.

Once fully opening his eyes, he saw a mass of pink near him. Sakura had her head pillowed on his upper arm and her hands were lightly fisting his shirt. As for him, he still had his arms around her protectively and almost possessively. And from the feeling of his legs, their legs must've twined themselves during the night.

Looking at the clock, it was five A.M. and there was no training with the team until the mess that was made was cleared up. Still, no matter what happened, Sasuke still had to train himself.

Slowly and carefully, as to not disturb the rosette, he tried to untangle them. Tried that was.

Sakura was on the edge of consciousness and sleep. She was warm and still wanted to sleep more, so when the warm thing that was around was moving and trying to move away, she mentally growled. Sakura was very content to having the warm thing stay and she made sure that it did. To that end, she quickly wrapped her arms around Sasuke's neck and moved closer, effectively stilling Sasuke's attempts at leaving to train. Her head moved closer to the hollow of his neck and promptly went back to sleep.

Sasuke was in a pinch. On one hand, he wanted to get of the bed, go train, and forget this happened. On the other hand, and by yelling of his Inner, he kind of wanted to stay in bed.

So he once more tried to pry her arms from around him. This only served to make Sakura grip harder.

Without any other options left, he just settled in more and went back to sleep.

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When Sasuke opened his eyes again, it was eight and Sakura was no where in sight. Admittedly, he slightly panicked for a few seconds before he heard pots and pans banging in the kitchen.

"Sakura?"

"Morning. I may not be able to eat, but I can cook to some extent."

"How many times a day do you have to feed?"

"Once a day. Probably around the same time as yesterday."

"Hn."

After finishing breakfast and washing the dished, Sakura brought up something that was currently bothering her.

"Um, Sasuke?"

"Hn."

"I feel kinda funny. A bit more bloodthirsty."

Time stopped as the words and the full implication of what Sakura said sunk in.

"Sakura, let me see the chains."

Sakura had a feeling about where this was going, but didn't say anything, just quietly did as he asked.

Sasuke gentle took her hand and looked over the chains. It looked like there wasn't any-there! It was small, but long crack. Nearly invisible and almost going from the bottom of the cuff to the top.

"There's a crack. It looks like you're right, Nakago found a way to crack the chains. We better get to the Third."

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"Well, why wake me up so early?" The Third was grumpy and still groggy from sleep.

"It's-"

"My chains cracked."

That simple and blunt statement woke the Third quickly enough.

"When and how?"

"They most likely broken last night, and I'm not really sure how they broke. Chances are, Nakago found a way around her aversion. It's not really surprising that she'd try to get me back this soon. I'm her strongest weapon and therefore a danger when in the hands of those she considers enemies."

"Hm, the chains will be a fifty-fifty ratio on the chains. Right now it's twenty-five chakra and seventy-five metal."

"Alright, then."

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After getting new chains, they went off training in a nearby forest, but still, there was a hint of disturbance. The birds did not sing, there were no little animals rustling, just silence.

A sudden rumble went through the village. There had _**never **_been an earthquake in Konoha, so why would one strike now? Simple, it wasn't one. Not that the civilians and most of the shinobis would know differently.

The ground around the two cracked and rumbled. Soon the ground split open and what came out where creatures of Nakago. Yet, the coloring of yellow, purple, and orange weren't there. The sense of that they were without will was no longer there. As if they had a measure of intelligence instead of the blind faithfulness.

Immediately the creatures attacked Sakura and Sasuke. There main objective was to bring back the girl by any means possible. Secondary orders were to kill any that got in their way.

The creature that surrounded them were shaped rather like cattle, with horny plates the color of metallic gray-blue instead of hair. They were not clumsy, however, and were the as tall at the shoulder as any full grown wolf. Nor were the heads or legs cattle like, they bore no resemblance to any creature Sasuke had ever seen. From sharp, backswept horns, to wide slitted eyes, to fanged mouths, their heads were as alien and as purposeful as any packed beast that Sasuke had seen.

Sakura was definitely scared of these creatures. Sasuke could tell that much from how she fearfully whispered, "Wyrsa."

"You know what these are?"

"They, they're Nakago's hunters and devourers. They'll mostly be used to devour Nakago's enemies souls. Very rarely will they hunt down a Fallen One, since we're usually under Nakago's complete control."

"Fallen Ones?"

"That's me. I've fallen to the darkness. Accepted the abyss of insanity."

"Any way to kill them?"

"No idea. I've never fought against them."

Sasuke mentally groaned.

The wyrsa began attacking and when they attack, it's in little groups. Meaning even more damage at the same time.

Today was just not his day.

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For the most part, it wasn't too bad. To kill the wyrsa, you have to aim for its underside where there weren't any plating. Though it was still hard, they rarely ever reared their heads, exposing the fleshly undersides, so careful aiming is a must. Added to that, they were strong and were lot more agile than they look.

At least Sasuke and Sakura together managed to kill about thirty of them. However, they still had roughly ten more packs to go and each pack has about ten individual wyrsa.

Unfortunately, the wyrsa concentrated on separating Sasuke and Sakura, which they didn't notice or the fact that it was really working.

Sasuke was steadily working on getting rid of the wave of wyrsa going at him. That was until he saw a flash from the corner of his eye.

It was Sakura. At first he had assumed that she had gotten rid of her wave and she was going to help him, but woe betide _that_ assumption. Her wave was right behind her and they _weren't_ attacking _at all_. Her eyes from before were back, black and dull green instead of white and lively viridian sea foam. The chains were off- wait! Chains off would mean that Nakago's in control, oh damn! He was so screwed. Sasuke had to admit that had had trouble fighting Sakura when Nakago was in control.

"So this is Nakago's most _powerful_, most _ruthless_ fallen angel." An unfamiliar smooth voice spoke from the cavern. Definitely _not_ Nakago since this voice was very male and masculine sounding.

"Who are-"

"Leareth. Nice to meet you, however short it may be. Now then, wyrsa and Sakura, we leave." The voice become smoother, having almost a greasy quality to it. Sasuke nearly gagged at it.

"You are not Nakago, so how can _you_ give out orders like this?" It wasn't Sasuke who said this, though he would've dearly love to, but Sakura. "You should have no control over the wyrsa or me. Though it seems that they did your bidding readily enough." Her voice was flat and full of distrust.

"I've killed Nakago. You and everything that's she's created are now mine. Though it seems that I will have to work on breaking you to my will. You are a lot more powerful than your sister Fallen Ones."

"Nakago still lives on in _me_."

"Not for long I assure you. Wyrsa! Capture her!"

It was as Leareth said. The wyrsa did as they were told. Sakura did try to put up a fight, but the sheer numbers, which seemed to increase with every kill were overwhelming.

"As for you, as much as I would _love_ to experiment with you, I'll have to focus on controlling this Fallen One. Just go to sleep, hmm?"

Sasuke, who until then had been neatly restrained by the wyrsa, collapsed. Before he fell into unconsciousness, the one called Leareth said, "To our dimension, now. These ninja will be unable to follow if we do so."

Then, black.

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When Sasuke finally woke, it was to bight fluorescent lighting, a stale sterilized smell, and to white walls. To put it simply, he was in the hospital.

Before he could even sit up, the door burst open along with a loud, "TEME!"

_Just what I need, the stupid dobe yelling when I just woke up._

"Teme! Where's Sakura?"

Sasuke slowly turned toward the loudmouth and his teacher who quietly walked in and said, "She's not with you guys?"

"She's not with you?"

"I wouldn't be asking you if I knew where she was."

"You're supposed to be watching her!"

"Che, shut up dobe.'

"So, where is she?!"

With a calmness that Kakashi wasn't really feeling, he said, "Naruto, calm down. Sasuke, we found Sakura's chains or at least what's left of them. Not only were they chewed on, they looked as though they had been ripped off, melted, and corroded with something. What happen?"

"Sakura and I were leaving from the Hokage when we were surrounded. We were surrounded by What Sakura called wyrsa. While we were fighting, the wyrsa managed to separate us. They probably took that time to get rid of the chains because she soon attacked me."

"So Nakago's back."

"No, she's dead."

"So then how?" Kakashi didn't look worried but under the mask and inwardly, he was _very _worried. For someone or some_thing_ to be able to defeat and kill Nakago… it was truly frightening to think of what could possibly happen.

"Someone by the name Leareth. Said something about another dimension and that we wouldn't be able to follow."

"I'll take this up to the Hokage. He might be able to figure out a way into this dimension."

"Hn."

"By the way, your brother's back."

Kakashi counted to three in his head; 1.…2.…3.… and right on the three:

"HN!" (What the hell! Already?!)-translation.

"Yes, he's with the Hokage," Kakasji answered back with some really couldn't help but feel amusement at he's normally apathetic student's shock.

"Actually, I'm right here Hatake-san."

"Hm?" Everyone slowly turned to the window and there was the prodigy of the clan: Uchiha Itachi.

Normally he'd be in the Akatsuki cloak, but he changed into black shirt and pants, along with a leaf hitai-ite. He also had a faint smirk playing on his lips.

Kakashi was amused.

Naruto was confused.

Sasuke was frowning and a rather curt, "What are you doing here?" came out.

"I live here foolish otouto. And the child that actually beat me and my partner was taken?"

Sasuke really shouldn't have woken up today.

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"Quite the dilemma foolish otouto."

"Shut up Aniki." Sasuke gritted his teeth in annoyance and hope to all the gods and goddess he knew that his brother would go away. Unfortunately, it seemed that whatever higher power or powers there were, they enjoyed his sufferings.

"Well, unfortunately, the Third has no idea how to get into or out of dimensions nor does he know of anyone that does."

"How are we going to save Sakura-chan, Itachi-teme?!"

"Naruto, stop. You happen to be insulting the prodigy of the village and someone how can quite easily mop the floor with you." Kakashi hoped that his loudmouth student would stop insulting people who could potentially wipe him off the face of the earth.

"Silence, Naruto-san. _I_ know of someone who can transport others to and from different dimensions. However, it will take a week at most to get here with the device to go there."

"A week?!"

"Yes, a week. It is better than a month."

The guys of Team 7 weren't about to argue about that. How knows what this Leareth person might do to Sakura if they were to go after her in a month?

"What is this man's name?"

"Urahara Kisuke."

"Hmm, we'll just leave you two brothers to talk. Naruto, let's go."

"Un!"

Yup, someone up there was out to get Sasuke.


	8. Chapter 8

**Yes, I used the name Urahara Kisuke from **_**Bleach**_, **but really though, who else can make gateways to other dimension? Aizen and his people don't count because they're evil. **

**By the way, I'm looking for a story and I don't remember the title. At this point I just remember that Sakura in the story is stalked by someone with a camera and when she finds out who it was, she punches the guy through Hokage mountain. If you happen to know the title, can you tell me? I desperately want to read it right now and I forgot to favorite it when I first read it. **

**

* * *

**

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_ or anything that sounds vaguely similar to any anime. The plot's all I own.

* * *

Chapter 8

* * *

"Well then foolish ototou, how is you sharingan? That is if you gained it."

"Of course I gained it! All to surpass you, kill you, and avenge everyone!"

"No point in avenging the family or killing me now. I was the tool used, but I didn't want to kill everyone nor did I know until the deed was done."

"Hn."

"Your eyes will go blind the more times you use Sharingan. We'll both have to find a good medic who can repair our eyes.'

"Hn."

"Really, is that all you can say? Mother taught you better than this."

"That's it! Out, get the hell out!"

Sasuke was _really_ pissed off. To the point, in face, where he didn't mind throwing everything and anything at his older brother. In fact, Sasuke did just that. Not that it really hit Itachi, with his skills in dodging. Still, it made Sasuke feel a little better. Not for long though it seemed.

"Foolish ototou, even your aiming isn't up to the Uchiha standards."

"I said out!" That outburst was followed by an innocent oak wood table stand that was by the bed.

* * *

Outside Sasuke's hospital room…

"Shouldn't we stop them?" one nurse asked a passing doctor as the sound of someone yelling in the room, prior to the sound of something heavy being thrown.

"No, there's a reason why the younger Uchiha is in this room. There are patients on this floor, but they're not too close enough to be bothered."

"So you all planned on this happening?"

"To some extent."

"Aa."

Suddenly from within the room, "Fucking bastard! Stop dodging!"

"That would be stupid and pointless even if your aiming happens to be so poor."

CRASH!

The nearby nurses and doctors flinched. While they did anticipate some arguments, they didn't think that the younger Uchiha would actually resort to violence.

"Get out!"

"No."

Soon a doctor decided that they should all leave before they were somehow dragged into the siblings' quarrel. "It'll be like this for awhile, get to work now."

"Hai."

It lasted awhile alright, nearly four hours worth of sibling squabbles. One must wonder though, where in the world did Uchiha Sasuke find enough furniture in his room to throw at Itachi for four hours?

* * *

The next day…

"So Teme, how was your reunion?" Naruto was in a happy mood, more so than usual. From what he had heard, Sasuke had blown up and nearly destroyed the room and he hadn't landed a single hit on his brother.

"Hn."

_Boy, he looks mad._

_**That dobe better not some anything else or I'll…**_

"Well, anyway, Itachi-teme's called up the friend and it looks like he'll be here sooner. In about two days. That means we can save Sakura-chan sooner, dattebayo!"

"Hn.'

"You know, if you hadn't lost Sakura., this-"

Naruto was cut off that moment because Sakura decided to throw something at Naruto. Something heavy, something like a battered table stand.

"Yeesh teme, what crawled up your ass and died?"

At that point, Sasuke very nearly cracked.

"Out! Get the hell out!"

"Sheesh Teme! No need for you to start bitching and all."

From there it really seemed like Sasuke would break down and start foaming at the mouth.

"Erm, teme, there's something I was suppose to tell you, but I forgot. Though, I just remembered it now."

With his left eye twitching he rather curtly said/grunted, "Hn." (Go on dobe.)

"Erm, well, theHokage'sassignedItachialongwithusonthemissontogetSakurasoyoutwobrothersaregoingtobeonthesamemisson!"

Translation: The Hokage's assigned Itachi along with us on the mission to get Sakura so you two brothers are going to be on the same mission!

Naruto had said this all in one breathe, was currently holding in his next, and trying (and failing) to move stealthily to the door.

BOOM!

It was then, Uchiha Sasuke completely cracked, started foaming at the mouth, and went on a rampage. In the process of going on a rampage, he nearly destroyed the hospital wing that he was in and scared Naruto witless.

Good thing his brother was passing by and stopped him, right?

Not.

It only served to set him off more, but that's another story.

* * *

In Leareth's dimension…

"Increase the voltage by 10%. I can't believe how _resistant _this one is. Others have broken by my methods soon than this.'

While saying this, the air crackled with energy and lightening flew about. There was the lingering smell of burnt flesh and blood.

"Hmm, at this rate, it'll be a while and I can't afford that. All my other projects have been on hold for this little chitling. Hmm, this is quite annoying."

Indeed, it was. While in Naruto dimension, it was only two, three days. Here, it was already almost a _month_ since he began to break the girl. He threw practically everything at her. She was already sporting bloody gashes and bruises. There were broken and fractured bones, sprains, inflamed ligaments, and who knows what else. He had seriously contemplated rape, but even for the likes of him, that was a bit much. Besides, there was no one that would willingly do that even with his control over them. Nakago, it seemed, rather despised rape and had gone all out in assuring that would happen on her command and he _couldn't do a thing_ to change that.

If physical means and trauma wouldn't work, then he'd have to start on mental trauma.

A smirk gradually appeared on Leareth's face as he remembered the files on this chitling. Her files on her past traumas.

* * *

The Hokage's office…

Currently Team 7 and Uchiha Itachi were meeting Urahara Kisuke with the Hokage.

He was strange to say at the least. Alright, truthfully, he was on the borderline of eccentric.

"Oi, Itachi-teme, how did someone like you meet someone like him?"

Itachi minutely narrowed his eyes at the suffix choice, but answered all the same, "Some days I wonder myself."

The reason for the question was because Urahara was, well, he was happily and enthusiastically annoying Kakashi.

"Well then! Enough of introductions!"

Everyone sweat dropped at this, thinking _We didn't even introduced ourselves. You just went ahead and talked our ears off!_

"I suppose you want to start finding that friend of your? Let me tell you, it was so difficult finding the dimension, but I did it! Anyway, just so you know, time isn't relevant or the same as in other places. For example, two, three days passed here, and in the place that you're all going to, it's already been a month!"

"EHHHHHHHHHHHH! Sakura's been there for a month!"

"Listen for once, dobe."

"Shut up, teme!"

"Both of you, quiet." Now Itachi was steadily getting used to the bickering, but really how could Kakashi-san and the girl manage to not go crazy, or at the very least murderous?

"Whatever, Itachi-teme."

"Hn." Sasuke still didn't like knowing his brother was coming, but the younger Uchiha couldn't really do anything about.

"Well now, if you ready?"

Out of thin air, a gate misted into view. It was engraved and the engravings were gruesome and rather puke worthy.

"The gateway should be safe. Every few days there's some energy thing that cleans the way of any unwanted intrusion. It isn't schedule for today, so you'll have a relatively safe journey. Try to return at least by today or tomorrow, because on the third day, it'll be cleaning. Here's the return device. Well, go on."

Everyone was rather skeptical and hesitant, but they went on through silently (silent as you can get with Naruto) anyway.

The gateway slowly faded out of view and went to where it belonged, in the space between worlds.

"Urahara-san! There's a big problem!" Kisuke had brought along one of his assistants with him. It was a man and he would have looked far more intimidating if he wasn't wearing an apron or if he didn't have a rather strange mustache.

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

"Schedule's been changed. It's today!"

"Oh dear. Well, I hope they can fun fast!" Urahara's face was hidden by a fan, but behind it was a large and devious smile.

"You planned this, didn't you?"

"Who knows?" Another wide smile.

* * *

Meanwhile with the boys…

"AHHHHHHHHH! Didn't he say that it'd be safe?"

"Shut up and keep running fools!"

This wasn't just a horrible day for Sasuke, it was an ungodly, unholy, and just downright heinous day for everyone currently running for their life.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto._ If I did, then I would have Sakura kick Sasuke's ass and drag him off to Konoha.

* * *

"When *pants* is this stupid path going to end?!"

"Do not waste you breath needlessly with talk."

"Well, your talking now, Itachi-teme!"

Currently, our favorite Team7 and Itachi were running for their lives. After they found out that if the cleaning energy caught something, it would disintegrate. That finding only made them run faster.

"Shut up, dobe. The thing's catching up because we're getting distracted."

"Damn you, Urahara Kisuke!"

"Shut up!" While everyone was yelling at Naruto, they couldn't help but think the same thing in their minds.

What's a poor shinobi to do when you can't even rest without getting disintegrated?

* * *

"Achoo!"

"Urahara-san, are you catching a cold?"

"Hmm, no. I suppose someone is talking about me."

"I see. I wonder who's talking about you?"

* * *

"There, that's the exit, so run faster!"

It was really the exit this time and not the fake exits that had been popping up all over the place. The problem with this exit was that it was in the air. Meaning for about a few seconds, they were floating in air until gravity kicked in.

You would think as shinobis, they'd fall on their feet. It seems that the bad day was spreading. They all landed in a giant heap.

"Argh, dobe, get off of me," Sasuke was mad that he was on the bottom, which meant that he was carrying all of the weight of the team. He muttered darkly under his breathe, "I knew there was a reason that I hated physics."

"As soon as Itachi-teme here gets off of me!"

"That would only happen if Hatake-san would stop reading and step off of me."

"Hmm? Oh, hehe, sorry."

Once they were all properly upright, they took a look at their surroundings. They were appalled and disgusted at the scenery around them.

"Ne, ne, Kakashi-sensei, Itachi-teme, have you guys ever seen a place like this?"

"No, this is something only mass warfare would produce and I mean massive. Even the Great Shinobi Wars don't compare to _this_."

The land was covered in skeletons. Skeletons piled atop each other, making great mounds of them. Weapons still impaled in some bodies, rotting clothes, and the continual presence of scavengers.

In a way, this had seemed like war, in another, genocide. None were spared, it looked for there were the bones of young ones, women, elderly, and men. What was left of their clothes looked to be about the same make. What earth could be seen from under the mounds was dead. Almost as if the Death Gods, the _shinigami_ took the life of the earth when it came for the souls of the lost ones.

Kakashi and Itachi, being used to seeing dead bodies, were a bit concerned with the amount of rotting bones. Sasuke, even after seeing his clan killed, was a bit scared. Naruto was just silent and thinking before he asked the one question that was running through all of their heads:

"What the hell is this place?!"

* * *

_Within Sakura's mind, she was tormented by her insecurities and fears, things that she dearly __wanted__ to be buried and left alone. Near continuous exposure of this put her on the edge. Only a single push, would send her into a broken abyss._

_She's weak! A complete and total burden. She should just quit and become a housewife or something._

_She can't do a thing, always holding her team back._

_Your annoying._

_**Too much. This is too much. Stop it! Get me out of this place. I don't want to be here.**_

_Broken dreams, pitiful._

_**Stop it, stop making me remember!**_

_Your dreams were broken._

_You __are__ broken._

_Weak._

_Pathetic._

_**Where are you all? You said that you would be there. I trusted you. Sasuke-kun.**_

_You were a mistake._

_You** are **a mistake._

_**Someone save me!**_

_Who's going to save you? No one.  
_

* * *

"Finally, she's on the edge of breaking." Those simple words were accompanied by a series of screams by the rose hair girl. "If only I had done this sooner."

At first when this had started, there was no response, but as the memories he twisted relentlessly pounded into her mind, the silent stares becomes pained, the unspeaking voice became whimpers and then screams. The body that was ramrod straight soon twisted and turned, turned into blithering mass of the person who Sakura once was.

It was all so very amusing to him.

To think that the physical torture was nothing in the face of this chit. Completely and totally apathetic to the wounds of the flesh whereas others break at the sight of blood. More so when it's their own that is being spilled. However, when the torture of the memories and the attack of insecurities, she was putty in his hands.

All so simply amusing.

* * *

"Let's go save Sakura-chan!"

"Shut up, dobe. We don't even know where to start looking."

"Even if my baka ototou is rather dense, he is correct in that aspect."

"Hn."

"Well, why don't we head for that fortress." Everyone turned to Kakashi as he continued, "It's a good start as any."

"Hn."

"Yosh! Let's bring back Sakura-chan home!" _And get teme to confess that he really cares about her. They call __**me**__ an idiot when the dense one is Sasuke!_

* * *

_Everything was so empty. There was nothing, but the shards of someone who could have been. So many tears, so many fears. Shards, floating all around, showing glimpses of things that were better off forgotten. _

_One tear fell as everything, even the emptiness shattered_.

_**Am I really so weak that you won't save?**_

* * *

"She's mine now, little ninjas. Let the _real_ games begin, pathetic worms."

There was now a very cruel smile on those then, greasy lips as he watched Team 7 and Itachi make their way toward his stronghold.

"Let the fun commence as you dance to your death."

* * *

"Hey, we're here!"

"How strange. Were we not a distance away from this place?"

"Itachi is correct in that assumption. In fact, I would say that were walking for an hour and the place didn't get any closer."

"Hn."

"Really foolish ototou, can you be just a bit more sociable? It doesn't kill me, so it wouldn't kill you. Also, if you don't have anything helpful to put in, refrain from hnning."

*Insert glare* "Hn."

"What does it matter?! Sakura's in there. We have to save her!"

"Look underneath the underneath."

"And? The first time that you said that, it didn't make any sense. It still doesn't."

Baka

* * *

**That's another chapter! Sorry for the late update. School has started and I've just started high school, and the place is HUGE! So I had to put things on hold as I got used to the place. Also, because school has started, updates may be irregular at best. I'll type up whatever I can in my free time. This is just so you all know. Well, until next time! Review if you wish. =)  
**


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Naruto._

* * *

As the men came closer to the stronghold, more and more of the details became clear. Most of it was morbid. The walls were the color of dried blood, around the walls were piles of skeletons, there are more hanging from cages suspened from the surrounding towers. The skeletons hanging from the cages were bleached white and pecked clean, what was left of their clothing were nothing but rags.

The main gate was wrought iron with picture depicting gruesome torture. Not to mentions, it seemed like the gate somehow had a life of its own.

Everyone was aware of the presence of scavengers. Where there are bodies and in great supply of it, there were bound to be scavengers.

"Man, this place is creepy. So, how do we get in? Through the front?"

"Baka, they'd see us coming from a mile away."

As if to mock Sasuke, the gates silently and slowly opened. There were no guards, nothing to suggest any hostile intentions, and yet, the empty silence was what made everyone wary for anything Learth had in mind.

"See, teme? Everything's clear. Let's go!" Well, that was except for one person. Said person was confidently walking through the gates screaming his lungs out.

"He does realize that by doing that, he could very well jeopardize the mission and his teammates?" Itachi quietly asked Kakashi.

"Hmm, I don't really think that Naruto really even knows that himself. Anyway, it doesn't matter now. The gate opened up, so mostly likely Learth knows that we are here."

"Hn."

As the rest of the men continued on, the gates soundlessly closed and locked themselves. The gates would never open unless the master willed it to or unless the master died.

Chances of that ever happening were slim. _Very_ slim.

* * *

"Why don't I show them a _lovely_ welcome to my humble home?

Even before Learth had finished the sentence, there was a great rumble spread throughout the stronghold. It was loud, almost like a huntsman urging on his hounds to the hunt, and it seemed to shake the very foundations of the castle.

All around, countless pairs of red eyes showed eagerness for their new prey.

* * *

Calmly and wordlessly, dull verdant eyes opened and gazed upon its surroundings, taking in the details and noting that there were no exits.

To say that the room was bloody did not come close to describing anything. In fact, it seemed that there was not way to describe the room. Perhaps it was due to the amount of blood splatters or may be it was the various blood stained tools that lay scattered on the floor.

Wherever this place was, it didn't really matter. She wanted nothing or may be there was something and she couldn't remember. Chances were, she didn't want to remember.

She was tired. She wanted to sleep. Just lay down and enter that sleep where you would never wake up again. May be that person would help her.

...Wait, that person? Who was that person?

As she lay there, unnoticed by her, a sigh escaped her. With her thoughts growing ever quieter, a voice entered her mind.

_Stand and look for a way out._

She almost ignored the command, but the voice kept on insisting that she look for a way out. With another sigh, she heaved herself up and looked around.

* * *

"Hehe, this is too easy! No one guarding the place! We can get Sakura and be back in time for ramen!"

"Naruto, you are not thinking and nor are you keeping your guard up," Kakashi admonished his hyper-active student.

"And?"

"We could be ambushed-"

"This place is deserted! Kakashi-sensei, Itachi-teme, you both worry too much."

THUD!

Right then, Naruto had run into something very big, very furry, and _very_ angry. Something happened to have had friends too, and they were quite interested in the males.

"Naruto! Move!"

Naruto barely got out before his arm was bitten off. It seemed that the creature were interested in a meal and the team were on the menu.

"What an interesting day will have, don't you think, ototou?"

"Hn."

The creatures facing them were a combination of lions and a reptile. Basically, the upper body and head was that of a lion. The lower boy was elongated and the feet were muscled. In the area of the lion, some of the skin was reptilian.

"So, anyone know how er're going to get our of this?" Naruto was ready for a fight, he just didn't know what to do.

"No, but i would say go for the underside and strike a fatal hit." As usual, Itachi calmly and logically made a sensible assumption.

"Aa."

As It was, whenever they _did_ manage a fatal hit, the chimeras_ wouldn't stay down_. In fact, they merely picked themselves up and went right back at them. Of course, half the time the creatures managed to block their attacks, so it wasn't very often that they actually landed a critical hit to the beasts.

"Once more, how do we get rid of these things?" Itachi was starting to get annoyed. The sooner they got the girl, the sooner they could forget about this place.

"Why don't we just try breaking their spines or something of that sort?" Kakashi was also getting annoyed and impatient. He wanted to get this over with and go get his student.

"Hmm, I suppose that could work. It's better than nothing and I wish to end this as quickly as possible. Ototou, you will help as well or else I shall extend your training tenfold."

"Che, whatever, Itachi."

"Oi, teme, your brother's an arrogant prick, you know that?"

"I heard that, Naruto-san."

"Bah!"

* * *

_It's time. Strike now. __**KILL!**_

Sakura sighed again. The voice, while helpful at times, was really becoming a hindrance now. The voices-or was it really one?- were very annoying. Telling her to do things that had no logic, no reason. It wanted blood and for her to shed that blood so that it seemed as though the very ground was wounded.

She had finally gotten out of the room,however, Sakura would have rather been there still. To quietly sleep and to forever fade away. A mere memory, just a shell of flesh left when one dies. To do that was much simpler, much more clean and less of a hassle.

_Hurry, there are people, things to kill. Give us blood._

These demands of blood offerings irritated her. Even if she was inclined to or wanted to kill, there was no one to kill. Simply no point nor was there any reason for bloodshed.

_There is fighting. Where there is a fight, there are people and things. Blood._

If the voices would go away once she killed, then fine. She didn't want to have to listen, she wanted to sleep. Listlessly, she turned toward the sounds of fighting. The fighting was in the courtyard, just off the side door that she was currently standing in front of.

_Finally, blood. Make me rise again. Make me __**STRONG!**_

Sakura winced inwardly at the loud voice. The sooner it went away, the sooner she could rest.

When she opened the door, she was greeted with a flood of light and cries.

* * *

**Author's corner:**

I'm back! Sorry it took me so long. School hit me pretty hard and now that we are out for break, I has finally able to put up the next chapter. There also was another reason for delay. Some virus hit my computer and I lost everything! Including the first chapter 10. I hadn't saved my files onto a USB because someone stole mine and I couldn't get a new yet. Anyway, I think that next chapter will be next month hopefully. See you then and Happy Thanksgiving!

~winter's~


	11. AN

Hey everyone, it's been awhile. Sorry, but this is just an announcement. No, I'm not giving up the story, I'm just planning/writing out the rest. It's just that, I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO ANGRY IN MY LIFE!

this deserves to be known, DO NOT READ ANY STORIES FROM THIS SON OF A B****: analuvsfanfics8888.

This person is a plagiarizer, and stole cutecrazyrice's _In Nine Days, _januaryeclipses' _Laying Claim, _and Seyee's _Bad Behavior._ Whatever you do, DON'T READ FROM THIS PERSON. This person does not deserve to be a writer, heck a person. So whatever you do, keep reporting the person, or better yet, read the originals. They are much better than the B******.

Thanks for listening to my rant, but really REPORT! Or better yet, GET RID OF THIS GUY and always remember, DON'T BE TRICKED BY IMITATORS!


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